The invention relates to the provision of services at a service gateway that connects an external network (e.g., the Internet) to an internal network. A service gateway provides services for local clients for supporting local client systems and devices. A service gateway can be implemented in a network connected computer system or server computer, a router, a set-top box, a power supply meter, or the like.
The local clients can include a number of devices connected within a local environment. The local environment might, for example, be the home, a workspace, a factory, a farm, a vehicle, or the like. As technology develops, those devices are more and more likely to be supported by a service provider via network links. In order to provide the support, there can be a need to provide software modules, programs, data, etc. to the local, or home environment. This can be addressed by providing the software modules, programs, data etc. at a service gateway providing an interface between the local environment and the external network.
A difficulty with this is that different configurations and needs will exist at different client sites. Typically different combinations of equipment will exist at those sites. Also, the configurations and needs will change with time, for example as new versions of software modules come into existence, in order to provide diagnostic functions in response to faults, and as the devices and other systems at the client site change.
In view of this, there is a need to be able to respond to requests that can come from the service provider side, or from the client side, for the provision of new services at the service gateway. The challenge is therefore to provide a mechanism that can enable the loading of services into the service gateway. However, at present, the development of such systems is hampered because developers do not have mechanisms that allow them readily to expand and change the way that services are provided via a service gateway. The present invention seeks to address this.